Henry Diltz gallery: The Doors, Keith Richards, Macca and more

“I was a musician before I was a photographer,” says iconic snapper Henry Diltz. “So I started out photographing my friends who then all became famous.”

Diltz, an affable US-native now in his mid-70s, made his name operating out of Laurel Canyon, an LA neighbourhood that helped spawn and inspire a generation of incredible singer-songwriters - Neil Young, Jim Morrison, David Crosby and many more. As Diltz prepares for the release of new movie Legends of the Canyon, which delves into the heart of the area and its imprint on the wider musical landscape, we spoke to him about his memories of shooting pop and rock royalty.

Of the image above Henry says: "This was on a 1970 tour and [David Crosby] was in a hotel and Graham Nash opened the door and said, ‘Hey Crosby, some girl fan made you this stuffed toy American flag gun.’ He tossed it in onto the bed and Crosby just picked it up with one hand and held it to his head while he took a toke with his other hand. I was sat at the end of the bed and just took two shots and that was one. It was just a momentary thing.”